November 11, 2018

Midnight Dim Sum Gives Taste of Asian Culture

ByJolie Wei | November 11, 2018

Dim sum is conventionally enjoyed as an open brunch during the day, but at the Midnight Dim Sum in Duffield on Saturday, busy Cornellians got to have a taste of both the traditional Chinese dishes and Chinese culture.

“We know students are really busy, so we moved the event to the night time to put a fun twist on it,” said Sharon Wu ’20, president of the Chinese Students Association, which hosted the event.

According to Ada Zhu ’21, CSA cultural chair, the event served as a good entry point towards highlighting different cultural groups on campus.

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“It’s a fun way to get everyone here to learn about the different Asian organizations,” Zhu told The Sun.

“People come for the food, and they stay for the performances,” Wu said.

The performers at the event this year included Cornell Big Red Raas, which showcased traditional Indian dances, HanChum Traditional Korean Dance Team and Cornell Wushu, which performed Chinese martial arts.

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“We try to choose groups that will really showcase the unique aspects of their culture as well as their appeal to the Cornell public,” Zhu said, adding that they were thankful for the performers and audience who came out to support the event and the performances.

Attendees and performers alike appreciated the energy and lively vibe of the event. Raymond Zhang ’20, a performer from the Cornell Taiwanese American Society, said that it was “a really nice time to relax on a Saturday night.”

Hana Aram ’22, a member of the HanChum Traditional Korean Dance Team, said she enjoyed the variety of performances at the event.

“I really liked how the event also included other Asian performance groups even though it was hosted by the Chinese Student Association. I thought it was a good opportunity to be introduced to other elements of cultures,” she said.

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Starting at 9 p.m., crowds of students and faculty were eagerly waiting to try the assortment of dim sum food items, including dumplings, egg and spring rolls and other food catered from local restaurants Apollo and Hai Hong.

Some Chinese students at Cornell are just a four-hour car ride from their houses in New York City. Others are a 14-hour flight from their families in China. No matter the distance between Ithaca and their homes, all tried to find alternative and communal ways to celebrate the Chinese New Year and the start of the Year of the Ox. [img_assist|nid=34440|title=Festive feasting|desc=Students crowded into Okenshield’s yesterday for the annual Chinese New Year dinner, where they ate traditional Chinese dishes in honor of the incoming Year of the Ox. Some had to wait up to 40 minutes before they could enter.|link=node|align=left|width=|height=0]